I mentioned earlier, when greeting a gentleman from D.E.A.T.H., that it might be a good idea to classify stages. So here are my proposed stage classifications.
This classification is not about which stage is "better" then others. This is about which ones are most appropriate for tournaments. [rant]Anybody who insists upon excluding certain stages in casual matches needs to get their priorities straight. Casual matches are, you know,
casual. If you can't stand the thought of losing a
casual match just because of a bit of bad luck, you need to get your head examined.[/rant]
Static: No important changes to the stage as the match goes on.
Final DestinationBattlefieldTempleLylat CruiseSmashvilleControllable: Changes always (or almost always) occur only by direct player input.
Luigi's MansionYoshi's Island (Melee version)
Shadow Moses IslandGreen Hill ZonePredictable: Changes are well-telegraphed and/or timed and don't provide massive amounts of carnage.
Bridge of EdlinCastle SiegeCorneriaDistant PlanetFrigate OrpheonGreen GreensHalberdOnettBrinstarPokemon Stadium (and
Melee version)
Yoshi's Island (Brawl version)
Mario CircuitNew Pork CityDelfino PlazaJungle JapesPort Town Aero DrivePirate ShipScrolling: Any stage that is
constantly changing.
Big BlueRainbow CruiseRumble FallsMushroomy KingdomGimmicky: Any stage that requires you to significantly alter your strategies to match that stage.
SkyworldHanenbowMario Bros. Arcade StagePictochatWariowareMurphy's Law: Stages that want to kill you, and are capable of doing so with little help from other players.
The SummitFlat Zone 2NorfairSpear Pillar75m
For (?) stages:
Corenia:
Technically, there is the risk of bombardment by Arwing. But it's rare enough that it could, arguably, be ignored. Moving to predictable. Imagine it... it's the near end of the battle, one life left each, both sides are at over 120% damage... first blood wins... and out of nowhere an Arwing sent by Eris herself flies out and bombards one of the players, anti-climatically ending the match. It's unlikely, but the small chance is real enough that it can't be called a static stage.
Hanenbow:
Love it or hate it. It changes very little, so it is technically static, but it is also a very eccentric design that many despise and a few adore. I'm moving it to gimmick after a bit of thought. Hanenbow has made a lot of enemies lately.
Distant Planet:
The rain and the Bulborb both pack a punch. But they're very well-telegraphed, and the Bulborb in particular is easily avoided. However, the rain is nasty, and the Bulborb is a 1-hit K.O... Stay the hell away from giant brutes, and if the sky grows dark, get to leaves really fast. Neither is especially hard, so I'm putting the Distant Planet under predictable. Seriously, the only way in hell that Bulborb is gonna make a meal of you is if you do something really stupid, or your foe knows what he/she is doing well enough to feed you to that thing. In either case, that ain't luck. That's getting beaten by a better player with a bit of help from the stage to make your death quicker and more amusing. Rain's a bit nastier, but again, a moderately skillful player can avoid it or use it strategically.
The Summit:
Really, the question is: how much do you hate the low-gravity during the falling sequence and that fish? That fish is a nasty little shock, and always strikes at the worst possible time.
Skyworld:
A matter of personal taste. The stage alters little, and predictable. However, the fact that you can't grab onto clouds or go through upper platforms when they're solid has caused immense frustration and lost many battles. Not being able to jump into upper platforms without breaking them really screws up many character's strategies.
New Pork City:
It comes down to the Ultimate Chimera. That thing packs a punch... 1-hit KO, guranteed. But it is easily avoided on a stage as massive as New Pork City. New Pork City is
big. Yeah, there's a 1-hit KO in New Pork City. But if you can't find a way to stay the hell away from a giant pink tooth thing with a beast on its head in a stage that large. It's a bit fast-appearing, but the flash and stage-zoom-out are warning enough. I admit, I'm not 100% confident on this one.
Jungle Japes: Started out as static, until I remember that Klap Trap. *Headdesk*
Lylat Cruise: Just to avoid an argument, I know it isn't
technically immobile, and that the stage does indeed rotate
slightly. But really, who cares? Unless I've missed something important...
Flat Zone 2:
I rarely play here, so I can't say for sure how dangerous it is. I'll play it a few times to decide. Sweet Eris, this place is pretty darn lethal. Put in Murphy's Law.
If you disagree with any placement, by all means, post your disagreements. State specifically why it is in the wrong category, and where you would move it.
For instance, let's say I, in a burst of madness, decided that Spear Pillar was a static stage despite the massive time/space altering pokemon that appear and kill people for their own amusement. Say only "Spear Pillar is not a static stage," and I'd ignore you. Say "Spear Pillar is not a static stage; the pokemon that appear significantly alter gameplay dynamics and the battlefield. They also attack directly with beam attacks and occasionally jump on the stage themselves; both deal massive damage and possible KOs. I would suggest moving this stage to Murphy's Law," on the other hand, and I will hear you out and either politely explain why I put the stage where it is, or move it. In the former case, if you make arguments I hadn't thought of, I'll still (?) it to the category you suggested and let the rest of Smash Power debate it.
For most tournaments, the static and controllable stages are almost certainly "fair" and therefore usable. I included
only the least controversial of stages in the static category. If there's a 1:100 chance that the stage could randomly determine the victor of a tournament battle, it's a goner. Predictable stages could be introduced, or controllable stages removed to leave only static stages, by consensus of the people in the tournament,
or declared fair game by the person starting the tournament
as he/she is posting the tournament. Note that I say consensus; I'm thinking a 3/4 vote for either removing controllables or adding predictables. (A mere majority seems insufficient.) Murphy's Law stages can also be included if the stock involved in the battle is high enough that losing a life or two to ill luck is not enough to throw a tournament. (20+ seems about right.) Scrolling and gimmick stages are for special uses; one could hold a scrolling stage tournament for fast/maneuverable characters, or have an informal joke tournament based around the concept of chaos and randomness using the gimmick stages. (This is the reason I seperated them.) As I said before, for a casual match, feel free to ignore my classifications and go with a stage just for the hell of it.
Credit to DJ for suggesting the "Murphy's Law" and "Controllable" categories. But, as I said, I'd like to minimize subdivisions.
Latest edit: Added my rant to the start, and comments about lethal stages when stock is high.
